In recent years, the many requirements of the military services and the civilian population for better image detection devices has placed great incentives on imaging technology. Following the Second World War, gigantic strides were made in all the technology best called electro-optical photography. The military services constantly faced with man's visual limitations at night, have been instrumental in increasing research and development in imaging devices. The technology has presently been extended well into low-light-level environments and is both militarily and scientifically productive in conditions of reduced lighting. A most comprehensive review of the technology appears in Electro-Optical Photography at Low Illumination Levels by Harold V. Soule (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1968).
Despite the advances accomplished in electro-optical photography vast improvements remain possible. There are numerous areas such as power requirements, size, photon efficiency, weight, image quality, etc., wherein improvements would enhance military capability and extend scientific usefulness. Military night vision and low-light-level television devices yet fall far short of the desired goals.